Russia Concerned about Greenland Radar Upgrade
August 13, 2004 :: The Moscow Times :: News
As Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld travels to Russia to discuss missile defense and other subjects with his Russian counterpart Sergei Ivanov, he is expected to face opposition about the recent agreement to upgrade the Thule radar complex located in Greenland, signed with Denmark on August 6. Russia is concerned that the location of the radar will permit the U.S. to track not only rogue state missile launches, but those of Russia as well, which could potentially allow the U.S. some chance of intercepting Russian ICBMs.
Interfax quoted an unidentified Russian defense official as saying that “These actions directly affect Russia’s security interests”—even though Russia frequently maintains that it has the capabilities to penetrate U.S. missile defenses. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Russia, Detection and Tracking
U.S., Denmark to Sign Agreement to Upgrade Greenland Radars
July 30, 2004 :: Washington Times :: News
Secretary of State Powell will ink an agreement with Denmark on August 6, by which the United States acquires the ability to upgrade its Thule missile detection radars based in Greenland. The agreement was approved by the Danish parliament earlier this year. The Thule air base provides a location to track missile launches from such locations as Iran. It would likely be useful for any missile defense interceptors based in Europe, a plan slated for 2006. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Detection and Tracking
Russian Missile Defenses to be Improved Over Next Three Years
July 28, 2004 :: Itar-Tass :: News
The Commander of the Russian Space Troops, Lieutenant-General Vladimir Popovkin, reports that Russia’s missile defenses are continuing to improve, due in part to a new generation of missile detecting radars, reports the Russian news service, Itar-Tass.
In the next two to three years, the Russian missile early warning system will receive new, “highly finished” radars. The new radars, said to utilize new technologies, are set to be tested in 2005.
Commander Popovkin described Russia’s missile defense capabilities as improving and growing, and said that “the Space Troops have a tremendous amount of work still to be carried out.” (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Russian Missile Defenses, Detection and Tracking
Aegis Ships to Begin Monitoring North Korean Missiles in September
July 15, 2004 :: Bloomberg :: News
Six Aegis destroyers are being equipped to use their radars to track potential missile launches by North Korea, and will begin patrolling the Sea of Japan in September, roughly the same time that the first interceptors of the ground based missile defense system will become operational.
In the event of a missile launch, the ships’ radar would track the missile, and relay its information to a central location in Colorado, and ultimately to the missile interceptors themselves, which will be deployed in California and Alaska. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Deployment, Sea-Based Systems, Detection and Tracking
» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD, Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI)
U.S. to Sell BMD Radar to Bahrain
June 3, 2004 :: Geostrategy-Direct :: News
The United States has permitted Lockheed Martin to sell radar to the country of Bahrain, which has missile defense tracking capabilities, reports geostrategy-direct.com. The U.S. recently awarded a 43 million dollar contract to Lockheed for the AN/TPS-59[V]3B radar system, as well as associated supplies, of which the sale to Bahrain is a small part. (Article, Link)
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U.S., Danes Reach Agreement on Thule Radar
May 27, 2004 :: AP :: News
By unanimous vote the Danish parliament today approved a bill to allow the United States to upgrade the Thule ballistic missile early warning system (BMEWS) radar facility in northern Greenland, which will be a part of the missile tracking and detection for the upcoming U.S. missile defense system. The U.S. had originally requested the upgrade on December 17, 2002—the same day the White House announced it would be deploying a missile defense in 2004. The agreement, viewed as a revision of the previous 1951 pact with Denmark, allows for the local Inuit Greenland government to be a co-signatory and to be consulted in previous missile defense negotiations—as well as that the flags of all three countries be flown at the base. The U.S. is also upgrading the similar Fylingdales radar base in northern England.
The Thule Air Base early warning radar is 1,200 kilometers south of the North Pole. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Detection and Tracking
MDA: Low-Earth Orbit Missile Tracker Six Months Ahead of Schedule
April 28, 2004 :: Inside Defense :: News
Citing an April 13 report from the Missile Defense Agency, Inside Missile Defense says that the Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS), a $3 billion low-earth orbit satellite scanning system that tracks ballistic missiles in space, passed an important design review last December and is six months ahead of schedule.
The STSS is mounted with two infrared sensors, “a wide-view acquisition sensor for boost phase detection and a narrow-view sensor that tracks delivery vehicles through the middle of their trajectories in space.”
Two STSS satellites are expected to be launched in 2007, after the “integration” of the pair of sensors begins in 2005. (Link)
» More stories on: Space-Based Systems, Detection and Tracking
» Missile system details for: Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS)
U.S. Missile Warning Satellite Launched
February 14, 2004 :: Space.com :: News
The Cold War may be over, but the threat from ballistic missiles is not, as Russia’s nuclear war exercise should assure any doubts to the contrary. Today a Titan 4 placed an American missile launch warning satellite into orbit.
The 5,000 pound Defense Support Program (DSP) Satellite is part of an older network which uses infrared sensors to track heat and light such as that generated from a missile’s plume as it takes flight. Plans have long been in place, however, to replace these with a newer and more advanced network of satellites called the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS). Nevertheless, “These satellites will remain the backbone for the nation’s missile warning system,” said Col. Robert Reese of the Space & Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base. One other DSP satellite is also reportedly scheduled to be launched in March, by a Delta 4 rocket.
As Chief of DSP operations at Peterson Air Force Base, Major Francis Diorin commented, “The threat is still there.” “The Soviets still have ICBMs on alert,” he noted. Indeed, this week’s extensive tests by Russia confirm that the former Soviet Union means to not only keep, but improve and increase both their offensive strategic ballistic missiles and their own missile defense system. The United States has a moral duty to its citizenry to defend against these threats.
The DSP satellite is No. 22 of 23 in the constellation. (Article, Link)
» Lockheed press release from launch
» Video of Titan launch
» More stories on: Space-Based Systems, Detection and Tracking
» Missile system details for: Defense Support Program (DSP)
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